The morning of the Academy's start I received an owl as I was warned containing a puzzle. I have to solve the puzzle to decode the location of the next challenge. Each student had to pass a series of different challenges before they can enter the Academy. At the last location a staff member will be waiting with a portkey to the island. We have two days to arrive if we fail we are immediately expelled without ever even reaching the island.
I was instructed to leave my things at home until I received the last instructions. I only took Slip with me, hanging him around my shoulders under notice me not and disillusionment spells. I left Swift at home for the challenges.
The first puzzle was a simple riddle leading me to a book store in Beijing China. Luckily I was learning Chinese and knew enough to find the book I was looking for without assistance. Reading the note that was inside I faded to the coordinates listed with my guard up.
Upon appearing a chimera leapt at me. I rolled to the side pulling out my Katana and holding it in position in front of me. It turned and started attacking me. I defended myself without attacking back and waited for a break in the attack. When the Chimera backed up to get a running jump in I spoke to it. Surprised to be able to understand me it paused long enough for me to explain.
He led me to the next set of instructions and in return I repaired his nest from storm damage. Next I headed to the rain forest in South America and followed the marked trail for ten miles. The hike was through difficult terrain and I had to avoid natives and wild animals. The trial I followed was not a real path just random markers pointing me in different directions.
Two hours later I reached an empty city and had to solve the maze to reach the center temple holding the next clue. The city had up anti apparition wards meaning most students had to traipse all the way back through the maze. I used my mage sight to read the wards and slipped around them fading home to read the next set of instructions.
Next I was sent to a room in Russia holding a warded trunk. I again used mage sight to read the wards and spells on the trunk. I studied it for about ten minutes looking for the best way in. I discovered that the wards and spells were all tied together at a single rune, which would make it difficult to break each one individually. I was able to simply change the center rune by carving over it channeling magic through my finger and using it as a knife. Changing the center rune all of the wards and spells fell apart and it opened with a simple touch.
Inside was a puzzle box. All of the sides had to be moved into the correct position before it could be opened. Each individual piece had been soaked and spelled to be resistant to magic so I didn't bother trying to use magic on it. I studied it and fiddled around with it until it opened to the next set of instructions.
Surprisingly this note simply held the coordinates for the restaurant where I am to meet the professor and instructed us to bring our stuff with us. Well simple for me to translate from Latin to English anyway. I suspected a trap and shrunk my trunk into my over the shoulder bag. I freshened up with a few spells then grabbing Swift, in the form of a small rodent to hide in my pocket, faded into an alley around the corner from the restaurant.
I suspected it was a trap but all I saw inside were a few waitresses getting set up. They weren't even open yet. I hung around in a café across the street and entered the moment it opened and approached the manager.
"Excuse me Sir. Do you know when the Academy professor will arrive?" He looked at me surprised.
"Aren't you too young to be a student?"
"I'm starting early on a probationary basis due to my age. But I assure you I have taken my NEWTs and scored high." I said letting some of my annoyance show at being questioned.
He looked like he didn't believe me but answered, "He said he be in about eleven am but didn't expect anyone before two pm."
Looking at the clock I saw it was only seven am here, but noon at home and only four hours after I received the first clue. I was surprised to be so early but felt confident I was in the right place even though I didn't trust the Academy to not have fake clues and meeting places for those who messes up.
I grabbed a booth with a clear view of both doors and the kitchen facing the whole room. I pulled out a book and kept an eye on the restaurant while I read for four hours. At a quarter to eleven I saw the man fitting the professors description enter and speak to the manager who pointed my way. I studied him as they spoke and the professor looked me over raising an eyebrow.
I closed my book and approached him introducing myself. He responded in kind introducing himself as Professor Huck the transfiguration professor. We sat at a nearby table and I positioned myself back to the wall keeping an eye around me still suspecting a trick. The professor questioned me on the tasks to ensure I had actually completed them. I pulled all of the instruction sheets and handed them over as I answered.
I would have just shown him the memories but didn't want to out in the open because it would distract us both and make us vulnerable. When he was satisfied, though completely shocked, he gave me the portkey and instructed me to find and wait in the Great Hall.